Canada’s biggest GCs analyze 617 projects to map 75% emissions cut

Key Takeaways:

• The roadmap establishes a path for the construction sector to reduce jobsite emissions by 75% by 2040 without compromising project costs, schedules, or operational performance.
• Five high-impact actions are identified to target diesel fuel because it represents 65% of the total carbon footprint for typical construction projects.
• Nine of Canada’s largest general contractors collaborated with the Transition Accelerator to develop these strategies using real-world operational data from 617 projects.

The Whole Story:

A new industry roadmap reveals that Canada’s largest construction firms can slash jobsite emissions by up to 75% over the next 15 years without sacrificing project costs, timelines, or overall performance.

The report, titled Growing and Greening Canadian Construction, was released this month as a collaborative effort between nine of the country’s leading general contractors and The Transition Accelerator.

Participating companies include industry giants Aecon, Bird, Chandos, EllisDon, Graham, Ledcor, Multiplex, PCL, and Pomerleau. The companies noted that the findings are grounded in real operational data from 617 construction projects across Canada.

The report identifies five high-impact actions that integrate decarbonization into core business operations rather than treating it as an environmental “add-on”:

• Electrify light-duty vehicles and small equipment: Using mature technology for pick-up trucks and tools to eliminate gasoline use.
• Optimize and electrify temporary heating: Replacing high-emitting fuels with electric systems and smart controls, especially critical in cold climates.
• Adopt renewable diesel: Using “bridge fuels” for heavy machinery that cannot yet be easily electrified.
• Switch to grid power: Replacing noisy, high-emission diesel generators with temporary electrical hookups.
• Deploy hybrid and electric excavation equipment: Incorporating next-generation heavy machinery as it becomes available.

The researchers found that diesel fuel currently dominates construction emissions, accounting for 65% of a typical project’s carbon footprint. By targeting diesel use through electrification and renewable alternatives, the sector can meet aggressive climate targets while lowering maintenance and fuel costs.

The roadmap suggests a pragmatic timeline: a 25% reduction by 2030, scaling to 55% by 2035, and hitting the 75% target by 2040 as technologies mature.

Industry leaders say the transformation is already technically feasible. The report argues that by moving together, the sector can use its collective buying power to lower equipment costs and influence government policy.

“The report uses real-world project data to identify where emissions are generated on jobsites and where the most effective reduction opportunities exist,” says Anton Pojasok, head of sustainability for PCL Construction. “Because the data is aligned to how construction projects are actually delivered, versus relying on theoretical models, these are steps construction teams can implement right away.”